Always the Hufflepuffs
by Larna Mandrea
Summary: Hannah Abbott finds out her mother is dead. An HBP missing moment written for the Fill In HBP FQF on LJ. Oneshot.


**A/N: **My response to the Fill In HBP FQF on Livejournal. _Challenge 52: Hannah Abbott is told her mother is dead._Thanks to Toni for beta-reading and coming up with the plant.

**Always the Hufflepuffs**

"Hey, Justin, bring one of those pots over here, will you?" asked Hannah Abbott pleasantly, as the sun streamed through the windows of Greenhouse Three. The warm rays of light reflected off her charm bracelet and caused splotches of light to dance across the leaves of the Wailing Willow she was pruning. Justin slid a large brown pot next to her as requested, and wiped a smudge of dirt off his elbow.

Herbology was her favorite class. Working with plants was the one thing she'd always been good at, and she enjoyed it even more because her three best friends took the class alongside her; Justin, Susan, Ernie and Hannah always worked as a group during class, using their hands and helping things grow. It reminded her of home, of working in the gardens to make the simple front yard look alive. There was no better way, the blonde girl thought to herself, to spend a day at Hogwarts than to be in the Greenhouses with her Housemates. Unless of course, you counted sitting by the Hufflepuff fire with Ernie Macmillan, exchanging chocolate frog cards.

Or perhaps sitting by the fire with Ernie Macmillan _not _exchanging chocolate frog cards, amended Hannah mentally. The thought made her blush, and so she busied herself with vigorously moving soil from one large pot to another.

"Hannah Abbott?" The voice of Professor Sprout didn't seem to be as stern as it usually was, calling out gently from behind her. Hannah turned around, expecting a simple request to help one of the other students with the day's assignment.

The look on her Head of House's face convinced her that she was wrong; very, very wrong indeed.

"Madame Sprout?" she asked tentatively, taken aback by the sympathy in the eyes of her professor. "What is it?" Her voice shook, and so did her hand. Hannah didn't need to see him to feel Ernie's fingers lace comfortably through hers to keep her steady.

"Could you please come with me for a moment, Hannah, dear?" requested the Herbology professor, her tone of voice saying what her words did not. Choking down a sob, she pulled away from Ernie and followed her Head of House, fearing the worst.

"Hannah," began the professor softly, once they'd stepped outside, placing one hand on the girl's slumped shoulder. Hannah couldn't stop her chin from trembling with the effort it took not to cry. This can't be happening, she thought, this doesn't happen to me.

"Your mother has been found dead."

That was all it took. Hannah let out a shrill wail and started sobbing, knowing that her worst fears had been realized. "No, no, no," she gasped, tears streaming down her face as thought they couldn't stand to be contained within her for a moment more. Her thin frame shook from her uneven breathing, and she wanted to run, to melt, to disappear. She started to hiccup, and then to laugh. Nothing about the situation was humorous, however the desperation of the situation left her lost and out of control.

A moment later, she felt several pairs of arms surround and engulf her, helping her to stand and wiping at her face while the corresponding voices whispered reassurances and sympathies into her ears.

"I'm so sorry, Hannah," said Professor Sprout gently, her heart aching for her students and her house that had suffered so much during the war. "Ernie, Susan, Justin… please help her up to the Hospital Wing; Madame Pomfrey will be able to provide her with some calming drought. I'll be down in the common room as soon as my classes are over." With that, she swept away, fighting the urge to break down alongside her sixth-years.

Hannah took a deep shuddering breath and looked up at her friends. Meeting Ernie's concerned eyes sent her off into tears again, clutching at him desperately. The four began a slow procession up to the castle, weary of the loss that their house constantly suffered.

"First it was Cedric," commented Justin quietly. "I couldn't believe it when it happened. He was still in school, taking classes and exams and playing gobstones with us in the Common Room."

Susan nodded, understanding completely. "And then my Aunt," she whispered brokenly. Justin wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder, and they lapsed back into a temporary silence.

"I thought this was just going to be a war between Gryffindors and Slytherins," said Ernie as their feet moved from grass to marble, his fingers slowly winding themselves in Hannah's hair. "But it's us Hufflepuffs that have lost the most."

Hannah shuddered again. "Why are we the ones caught in the middle? We're the peacemakers, but we suffer the most."

"I'm sure she fought back, Hannah," said Susan determinedly. "I know Aunt Amelia did. Cedric was a real fighter, himself. Well, none of us are going down without a fight," she added, her eyes fierce and shining. Ernie nodded once, and the four made an unspoken pact to stick together, to be there for each other, and to fight to the death, at least until the end of the war.

_finis._


End file.
